Search - Articles

In this pot design, the graceful astelia and black ophiopogon add structure, while a small-flowered blue pansy or viola unites the blue pot and the plants.September - NovemberOctober - March30 minutesOphiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' x2Astelia chathamicaPansies x3Blue glazed po...

The evergreen foliage of the skimmia, pittosporum and ivy set against a backdrop of carex, provide year-round interest in this elegant container display. Red tulips add a splash of colour in spring, while skimmia berries provide autumn and winter interest.The addition of the bird...

If deadheaded regularly, pretty bellis daisies will keep flowering for weeks, offering a colourful display through spring and into summer. The ivy in this pot recipe can be planted in the garden when the display is past its best.February - AprilMarch - June30 minutesPink bellis d...

Some pots cry out for a simple planting scheme that doesn't detract from their own beauty, for which this arrangement is perfect. The bamboo combines beautifully with the dark brown-bronze leaves of the red hook sedge to form a sleek display that would look great in any garden al...

. Top up the box with more compost, gently firming it around the plant roots with your fingers.AdamScabious is a short-lived perennial, but luckily it's easily propagated by taking cuttings in early spring.If you can't find this deep red scabious, try

Growing helleboresA must-have for the winter garden, hardy hellebores flower from late-winter to early spring. They also make great cut flowers - simply snip off flower heads and float in a shallow bowl of water.There are many varieties of hellebore

in late-summer are pretty wide-ranging, as are shrubs, climbers and herbaceous perennials. Most fashionable annuals, exotics and tender perennial patio plants should also stay in flower until late-September, or even early October, if properly looked after

wildlife, they can be made into great plant food and are a surprisingly versatile ingredient in the kitchen.The nettle we're used to in the UK is Urtica dioica, a perennial plant full of iron, calcium, magnesium and nitrogen, which makes it incredibly

. Use them to fill gaps in summer borders or grow larger quantities in rows on the allotment or veg plot. Stagger sowings by a few weeks to give you a regular supply of blooms.Many of the best summer blooms are easy-to-grow hardy annuals and, with seeds

There are many hardy and half-hardy annuals that can be grown for cut flowers. Many attract bees and butterflies and some species can be dried, for use in long-lasting displays.Sow hardy and half-hardy annuals between March and April in small pots